Ronka
Kolna, Lungary |Occupation = Singer ∙ songwriter ∙ record producer ∙ model |Education = Kolna Music Academy |Genres = Psychedelic soul ∙ trip hop ∙ alternative R&B ∙ neo soul ∙ indie rock ∙ dream pop |Relatives = Sabina Heimstauss (sister) Deanna Heimstauss (sister) |Instruments = Vocals ∙ guitar ∙ piano ∙ bass ∙ percussion ∙ synthesizer ∙ harp |Years = 2000–present |Labels = Gregor ∙ Halo ∙ Dragonborne |Associated = Neon Skies}} Ronka Adalinn Heimstauss (born 30 December 1980), often known mononymously as Ronka, is a Lungarian singer, songwriter, record producer, and model. Born and raised in Kolna, after graduating from Kolna Music Academy in 2000, Heimstauss moved to Munbach to pursue a career as a musician. She was signed to Halo Music in 2004 as an R&B artist, and released her debut single "Heightened" the following year, which became a moderate success. Her debut studio album Ronka...Introducing Me was released shortly thereafter and was certified gold in her home country. Following its release, Heimstauss left Halo Music and signed with Dragonborne Records. Heimstauss's sophomore effort Titans of Our Time was released in 2006, and saw heavy experimentation with psychedelic rock, indie rock, and dream pop. The album was less of a commercial success than her debut, but also spawned the successful dance track "Promises", which went on to become a top twenty hit and was certified platinum. Heimstauss went on to release three further albums including Afterlife/Afterdeath (2009), Igloo Burns (2012), and Aesthetics (2015), all of which have been certified gold in Lungary. Heimstauss served as a judge and mentor on The X Factor: Lungary from seasons five through eight. Beginning her professional music career in 2000, Heimstauss wished to establish herself as a folk singer. However, when signing a contract with Gregor Music Lungary in 2004, she was instead signed as an R&B musician. Heimstauss's debut release largely consisted of R&B music that was typical of the time. However, her further releases instead became largely experimental, flirting with genres such as psychedelic rock, indie rock, and dream pop. Heimstauss is commonly described as a "psychedelic soul" musician, and has also been associated with the alternative R&B genre of the mid-to-late 2010s. Life and career Early life Heimstauss was born on 30 December 1980 in Kolna. She is the youngest of three daughters born to parents Erikka (née Glöberscheisten) and Daniel Heimstauss. Her mother works in retail, while her father is a manager of a liquor store. Heimstauss grew up in an economically-challenged household, and began working in retail positions at age fifteen in order to support her family financially. Her elder sisters Sabina, born , and Deanna Heimstauss, born , are both successful models and actresses. Heimstauss describes herself as the "black sheep" of the family growing up, being shy and preferring staying in and reading other than going out with friends like her sisters. She first learned to read at age two after being taught by her maternal grandmother, an amateur author. Heimstauss began primary school in 1987, where she excelled academically, particularly in literature. She became interested in poetry at age nine and soon began writing her own, which eventually led into songwriting as a teenager. Heimstauss graduated from primary school in 1993, and later began secondary school. After discovering musicians like Rita Deschau and Magda Wartzschaffa in secondary school, she began taking up singing. In what she calls a phase, Heimstauss frantically taught herself to play several instruments such as the guitar, piano, harp, and bass while she was fourteen. Heimstauss graduated from secondary school in 1997, and began studying at Kolna Music Academy, where she studied musicology and vocal performance, graduating with honors in 2000. Following her graduation, Heimstauss moved to Munbach to pursue a career in music. 2000–06: Career beginnings, signing, and Ronka...Introducing Me Upon moving to Munbach in 2000, Heimstauss struggled to find a record label to sign her after sending several demo tapes out of her performing original folk-styled songs with just an acoustic guitar as accompaniment. After still not being able to find management or a record label, Heimstauss began working primarily at a coffeeshop in 2002, while pursuing music as a side job. In 2003, she began modeling professionally at the insistence of her sisters, and was signed to their modeling agency Helga Models. Through modeling, Heimstauss was discovered by Gregor Music Lungary, and signed a recording contract with Halo Music in 2004. Although initially adamant on performing folk music, Heimstauss was signed to the label as purely an R&B musician. While she was reluctant to pursue a style of music that she was unfamiliar with, Heimstauss was inspired to go forward with the contract after listening to legendary R&B musicians such as Klara Konrad and Mikael Gaschürn. Heimstauss released her debut single "Heightened" in April 2005, and made her television debut with a performance on In The Morning Show. The song became a moderate success in Lungary, reaching the top forty, while charting in two other countries internationally. Her debut studio album Ronka...Introducing Me was released two months after the release of "Heightened", and reached the top five of the Lungarian albums chart, becoming certified gold in the country as well. She later supported Agata Klas on her Liquid Dreams World Tour. 2006–09: Titans of Our Time and genre shift 2009–15: Afterlife/Afterdeath, Igloo Burns, and The X Factor: Lungary 2015–present: Aesthetics and upcoming sixth studio album Personal life Discography Main article: Ronka discography. *''Ronka...Introducing Me'' (2005) *''Titans of Our Time'' (2006) *''Afterlife/Afterdeath'' (2009) *''Igloo Burns'' (2012) *''Aesthetics'' (2015) Awards and nominations Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Ronka. Category:1980 births Category:Bisexual musicians Category:Bisexual women Category:Black Lungarian female models Category:Black Lungarian female singers Category:Dragonborne Records artists Category:Gregor Music Lungary artists Category:Halo Music artists Category:Kolna Music Academy alumni Category:LGBT models Category:LGBT people from Lungary Category:LGBT singers Category:LGBT songwriters Category:Living people Category:Lungarian alternative R&B singers Category:Lungarian contemporary R&B singers Category:Lungarian dream pop singers Category:Lungarian female record producers Category:Lungarian female songwriters Category:Lungarian indie rock singers Category:Lungarian neo soul singers Category:Lungarian psychedelic soul singers Category:Lungarian trip hop singers Category:People from Kolna